Song Stories: Blurs Somewhere

 Blurs Somewhere

(music: Bart Mendoza / lyrics: Bart Mendoza & Maya Morris)

The Shambles: Recorded at Doubletime Studios, El Cajon by Jeff Forrest, 1996
Bart Mendoza (vocals/guitar), Kevin Ring (guitar/vocals), Mark Zadarnowski (bass), Joel Valder (drums)

Originally released on The Shambles - Chelsea Smiles 10” EP (1998, US / Genuine Article) and later on the Chelsea Smiles (And More) CD (2002, Spain / SNAP! Records). There is also a live version on The Shambles – Live at The Casbah (2013, US / Archive Records)

 Adapted from the liner notes from Chelsea Smiles (and More):

“Another from the lyrical team-up with Maya Morris,” said Mendoza. “A nervous rendition of this tune was performed for the bands 30-minute television concert broadcast, on Conciertos de Radio 3 / Tele Madrid, in Spain circa 1999. Why were we nervous? After the initial show of The Shambles tour 1999 Tour of Spain, Kevin had an emergency back at home and had to return asap. Yep, we panicked- two weeks of dates and half the front line is gone. Luckily, all was not lost, as the year before I had done a short round of acoustic shows in Spain with Francisco "Paco" Poza of Los Imposibles, and with a bit of rehearsal, including in the van on the way to gigs, he became the 5th Shamble, filling in for Kevin.  By sheer co-incidence singer-songwriter Frank Barajas of San Diego was in Madrid at the same time, so we added him to the show as an opener and made the whole thing more of a traveling "Revue". A great, great time.”

Top Spanish band The Happy Losers recorded a cover of "Blurs Somewhere" in 2009 for the Shambles covers album, Forty One Sixty, while Steve Rosenbaum also released a version in 2024.

True Stories at Beatles Fair 2014

Assorted photos of True Stories at Beatles Fair 2014. Photos courtesy of Sherri Allen and Steve Covault.

Bart Mendoza, Steve Thorn, Chuck Gunderson Q & A 

R.I.P. Steve Thorn

From Facebook: "Sad San Diego News: R.I.P. educator / author / historian / good friend Steve Thorn. I last saw him briefly at IPO 2025, he's always been a great friend over the years, always great to talk to about music or what have you. Steve and I co-penned several articles over the years and it was always a great time when we got together - 20 minutes of work, 2 hours of stories. He will be missed."

The photo below was taken on August 3, 2018 in Ocean Beach at a show by Burgan & Chan, featuring Jerry Burgan of 1960's hitmakers, We Five.  Bart Mendoza in the back, Steve Thorn wearing a "Cavern" t-shirt. 

Manual Scan 7" Test Pressings

Only a handful of each exist: 7" Test Pressings!

1982 Manual Scan - Plan of Action EP

1987 Manual Scan - Phase III EP

1989 Manual Scan - Lost Sessions EP

New Demo: All The Best

Bart Mendoza recently demoed a new song, "All the Best," a co-write with Ron Rice of the group Split Rail Fence.

Times of San Diego Previews: Bonnie Raitt, Bayfest, Sex Pistols, Untamed Youth and More!

Bart Mendoza's latest for the Times of San Diego includes spotlights on: Untamed Youth with Deke Dickerson at the Casbah San Diego, The San Diego Music Hall Of Fame, honoring Mojo Nixon, The Penetrators, Lady Dottie & The Diamonds, Dr. Oliver Luck, Big Mountain, Claudia Russell and Larry Grano at VISION: A Center For Spiritual Living, Peter Bjorn and John at Music Box, Sex Pistols at The Observatory North Park, San Diego Bayfest with Steel Pulse, The Offspring, Rebelution, Doah's Daydream and more at Marina Park South, Panama 66's 12th Anniversary Weekend with Sandpiper Ensemble, The Red Foxtails and more, Rob Thorsen with Gilbert Castellanos at The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, Bonnie Raitt at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, 10,000 Maniacs at Humphreys Concerts by the bay, Jeff Ousley's Showcase at Humphreys Backstage Live with Amanda Cogan, The Pushers, The Good Feels Band and pop songstress Sophie London. 
Read here: timesofsandiego.com/arts/2026/10/13/san-diego-legends-punk-pop-icons-live-music-this-week

Bart Mendoza & Dave Humphries Radio Interview 2015

Bart Mendoza and Dave Humphries at a KWAVE 107.9 FM Radio Interview 2015

Bart Mendoza and Marc Intravaia

Bart Mendoza and Marc Intravaia of Listen, Back to the Garden and more.

My 9 Albums

Bart Mendoza recently posted his take on the "My 9 Albums" trend. "This would be followed by Wire, Prefab Sprout, Elvis Costello, Superdrag, The Kinks, Los Brincos, The Velvet Underground...." he noted in a Facebook post.

91X-FM Bart Mendoza, Wayne Riker, Blanca Fowler and Drew Andrews May 2016

Bart Mendoza at 91X-FM with Wayne Riker, Blanca Fowler (Ilya) and Drew Andrews (Album Leaf, Via Sattelite) circa May 2016

Manual Scan in The Album Cover Art of Punk Rock

The cover art of Manual Scan's 1982 7" EP, Plan Of Action, is included in the pop art section of the book, The Album Cover Art of Punk, with Foreward by Malcolm McLaren. The book is available in three editions

Bart Mendoza: Five Cover Appearances

Bart Mendoza has been in hundreds of newspapers, magazines, books and fanzines. Here are five times he was on the cover!

Bart Mendoza, Robin Roth, Vania Zamora at the SDMA's

DJ Robin Roth, Bart Mendoza, Vania Zamora at the 2022 SDMA's

Tims of San Diego Previews: Benmont Tench, Tim Flannery, Steve Earle, The Punch Brothers and More!

Bart Mendoza's latest for the Times of San Diego: Previews of the Punch Brothers at Epstein Family Amphitheater at UC San Diego, Easy Star All-Stars play Dark Side of the Moon at the Belly Up, The Turnpike Troubadours with Steve Earle at Gallagher Square, Tim Flannery and Lunatic Fringe at Humphreys Backstage Live, Robin Henkel Band with Horns at Tio Leo's Lounge, Benmont Tench of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers at Music Box, Poiesis Quartet at Baker Baum Hall, BEAT with Tony Levin, Adrian Belew, Terry Bozzio and Steve Vai at the Civic Theatre, Faux Fighters at The Holding Company, and Ocean Beach Oktoberfest with Doah's Daydream, No Duh, Electric Waste Band, Band of Gringos and more! Read here: https://timesofsandiego.com/arts/2026/10/06/this-week-in-live-music

Bart Mendoza with Patric Petrie and Mark DeCerbo at Java Joe's

 Bart Mendoza with Patric Petrie and Mark DeCerbo at Java Joe's. Photo courtesy of Terry Provance.

The SceneSD: An Interview with Artist Nona Perrin

Bart Mendoza's latest for The SceneSD: An interview with artist Nona Perrin about her exhibition at the Pacific Beach Library.
Read here: thescenesd.com/art-scenesd/nona-perrin-art-exhibit-pb-library-free-through-october-28/

Patric Petrie with Manual Scan at The Casbah

A photo of Patric Petrie performing with the members of Manual Scan at The Casbah in San Diego, Bart Mendoza in the background

The Shambles at The San Diego Music Awards 1997

 The Shambles at The San Diego Music Awards 1997, held at SDSU's Montezuma Hall

True Stories with Patric Petrie and Johnny Vernazza at The Museum of Music / 2014

True Stories with Patric Petrie and Johnny Vernazza at The Museum of Music in 2014, courtesy of Sherri Allen. 

      L-R Scott Mathiasen, Orrick Smith, Bart Mendoza, David Fleminger, Patric Petrie, Johnny Vernazza

San Diego Music News: The Zeros, Pierce the Veil, Twilight Highway, Blink 182 and More!

Bart Mendoza's latest for the SceneSD is a San Diego music news update, with updates on The Zeros, Pierce the Veil, Twilight Highway, Blink 182, Switchfoot, Wookie Garcia, The Beat Farmers, The Mothmen and more!
Read here: thescenesd.com/san-diego-music-news-october-2026

1990's: David Peck, Bart Mendoza, Mark DeCerbo, Justin Pearson

A photo taken at Off the Record in Hillcrest / San Diego circa the late 1990's: L-R David Peck (President Reelin' In The Years Archive), Bart Mendoza, Mark DeCerbo (Four Eyes / Rockola) and Justin Pearson (The Locust). Photo courtesy of Sandra Castillo.

The SceneSD: A Fundraiser For Robin's Nest Animal Rescue in Ramona

 Bart Mendoza's latest for the SceneSD: An interview with Cathryn Beeks about the Rockin' Robin Music Fest on October 11 at Robin's Nest Animal Rescue in Ramona.
Read here: thescenesd.com/event-scenesd/rockin-robin--fundraiser-on-october-11/

Patric Petrie and Bart Mendoza at the 2010 San Diego Music Awards

A photo of violinist Patric Petrie and Bart Mendoza at the 2010 San Diego Music Awards, which took place at Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay. In the photo Patric's band, Skelpin, had just won the San Diego Music Award for "Best World Music Album" for their disc, A Trip to Skye, which was released on Bart's Blindspot Records label. Photo courtesy of Dan Chusid.

Song Stories: "Blindspot" by The Shambles

 Blindspot

(music: Bart Mendoza / lyrics: Bart Mendoza & Maya Morris)

Recorded by the Shambles at Blitz Recording Studios, San Diego, produced by Richard Livoni with the Shambles, 1996. Bart Mendoza (vocals, rhythm guitar), Kevin Ring (lead guitar), Mark Zadarnowski (bass), Bill Calhoun (keyboards), Brad Kiser (drums).

Originally released on the Shambles Clouds All Day (1996, US / Blindspot) with the U.S. edition on Blindspot Records and two editions in Spain on SNAP! Records. The same version of the song appears on the compilation album, Into the Jet Stream of Pop (Canada / Beautiful Music, 2004).

“That one has an interesting creation story,” said Mendoza. “The song title itself was inspired by the word in a Wire song, but the chorus and the part of the first verse came from my being late to meet a friend, Maya Morris, one night. She left, but not before writing a note about some relationship troubles she was having, which she taped to my TV’s screen. I took that note, reworked the wording, added some lines, wrote a tune and had the song pretty much overnight.” This led to further collaboration. “I really liked the way she phrased things, so I asked if she had other writing I could see. She did, which inspired a batch of other tunes”

“Blindspot” has been covered several times, including by Michigan dream pop group, Glowfriends, who also performed a live version of the song on San Diego TV station, KUSI, by Serbian group, Eva Braun, and by Los Angeles based mod / power pop trio, The Eddies. The song also provided the name for Mendoza’s Blindspot Records music label.

The SceneSD: Ashley E Norton Album Release Show October 23

Bart Mendoza's latest for the SceneSD is a preview of Ashley E Norton's upcoming album release show on October 23. The album, Veteran's Daughter, was produced by Jeff Berkley.
Read here: thescenesd.com/concert-scenesd/ashley-e-norton-album-release-event-october-23

Manual Scan T-Shirt 1979 - 1989

Spotted online: A Manual Scan t-shirt, featuring artwork by comics legend Ed Brubaker. 

The Eddies Cover Manual Scan and The Shambles

 Los Angeles based trio, The Eddies, new album Moving Forward includes covers of The Shambles song "Blindspot" and the Manual Scan songs, "Confidence and Love" and "Anymore." The latter has scored airplay on SiriusXM's Rodney Bingenheimer in The Underground Garage.

Singer Songwriter Gaby Aparicio 2017 Promo Video with Bart Mendoza, Alan Sanderson & Tolan Shaw

From 2017: A promo video for singer-songwriter Gaby Aparicio y La Buena Onda, featuring Bart Mendoza, producer Alan Sanderosn and fellow musician, Tolan Shaw.

Sharing A Dressing Room

A shared dressing room backstage for the night's presenters at the Ritz Theatre in Escondido, with Bart Mendoza joining radio icons Shotgun Tom Kelly and Dave Mason

Times of San Diego: Air Supply, Fred Benedetti, Nathan Hubbard, Social Distortion and More!

Bart Mendoza's latest for the Times of San Diego, with previews of Allison Adams Tucker at The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, Fred Benedetti's John Lennon tribute at Dizzy's, Social Distortion at Petco Park / Gallagher Square, Rickie Lee Jones at the Belly Up, Burt Brion at Humphreys Backstage Live, Michelle Branch at the The Sound, Air Supply Music at Humphreys Concerts by the bay, Nathan Hubbard at the Jazz Lounge, Bow Wow Wow at The Holding Company and Laundry Day at Music Box Read here: timesofsandiego.com/arts/2026/09/29/this-week-in-live-music

True Stories at The Razzmatazz Room

True Stories at The Razzmatazz Room

The SceneSD: Interview with Bill Heck of The Rush Tribute Project

Bart Mendoza's latest for the SceneSD: An interview with guitarist Bill Heck of The Rush Tribute Project in advance of their upcoming show at The Magnolia on October 10.
Read here: thescenesd.com/concert-scenesd/the-rush-tribute-project-moving-pictures-at-the-magnolia

Bart Mendoza at 98 Bottles

 A photo of a late-night jam session at long gone Little Italy / San Diego venue 98 Bottles. Photo courtesy of Dennis Anderson.

The SceneSD: Rosie Flores New Single, New Album and Robert Plant Tour

Bart Mendoza's latest for the SceneSD is an interview with Rosie Flores about her latest album, new single, touring with Robert Plant, and a life in music.
Read here: thescenesd.com/music-scenesd/rosie-flores-to-perform-at-humphreys-on-september-28/

R.I.P. Violinist Patric Petrie

Sad news: Violinist Patric Petrie, a longtime friend and collaborator of Bart Mendoza's, has passed away. The pair performed often as an acoustic duo, she occasionally sat in with True Stories, and joined the members of Manual Scan onstage backing Gary Heffern at the Tribute to Tim Mays, held in 2014 at the North Park Observatory. Notably Bart Mendoza released her solo album, Trip to Skye, and two albums by her band Skelpin on his label Blindspot Records. Photo taken at Java Joe's in Old Town, San Diego, circa the mid 2000's, courtesy of Keith Mautner.